Two Canton players earn All-State honors in basketball

Josh Burke, left, and Sophia Mates earned All-State honors for their play during the winter for the Canton High basketball teams.

CANTON – The season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and the state tournaments were cancelled by the CIAC. But for some Canton High school athletes this winter, there were some games to play.

Two Canton High athletes earned All-State honors with their play on the court – senior basketball player Josh Burke and sophomore forward Sophia Mates.

Burke averaged 20.4 point a game for the Warriors (11-3) with six games where he scored 25 points or more. He had a career-high 36 points in the season-opening win over Windsor Locks and had a career-high eight 3-point goals in a win over Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy (HMTCA) in early March.

Burke, the fourth Canton player to earn All-State honors since 2016, was also named to the second team of the GameTimeCT All-State basketball team, which began as the New Haven Register’s All-State team years ago.

Mates averaged 12.3 points for Canton (9-5) this winter, scoring in double figures in 12 of 14 contests. She had a career-high 18 points in a NCCC Tournament semifinal contest against eventual league champion Suffield and 18 points in a game against Granby. She averaged 16.2 points in the last four games of the season.

Mates was named to the Class M team in balloting by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association. 

Boys basketball
Coach: Craig Archambault
Record: 11-3
NCCC Tournament: Lost to Ellington, 44-43 in semifinals
CIAC Tournament: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state tournament was cancelled.
All-NCCC: Josh Burke, Silas Sawtelle
All-State (CHSCA): Josh Burke (Division IV)
Note: Burke was named to the GameTimeCT’s All-State second team. The team was formerly known as the New Haven Register All-State basketball team.

Girls basketball
Coach: Brian Medeiros
Record: 9-5
NCCC Tournament: Lost to Suffield in semifinals, 55-44
CIAC Tournament: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the state tournament was cancelled.
All-NCCC: Paige Brown, Sophia Mates
All-State (CHSCA): Sophia Mates (Class M)

Boys ice hockey
Coach: David Harackiewicz
Record: 11-1-1
CCC South Tournament: Won CCC South, beating Tri-Town, 5-0 in final
CIAC Tournament: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the state tournament was cancelled.
Hobey Baker Award: Joe Petronio
All-CCC South: Braeden Humphrey (Canton), Killian Ranger, Sam Hedlund
All-State (CHSCA): Kilian Ranger
Note: Co-op team comprised of players from Newington (host), Canton, Cromwell, Berlin and Manchester. This was the second season for Canton playing co-op ice hockey.

Girls ice hockey
Coach: Michael Downs
Record: 9-6
CCC Tournament: Won CCC championship, beating Simsbury in final, 3-2 in OT
State Tournament: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the state tournament was cancelled.
All-CCC: Natalie Ewalk (Ellington), Teagan Mabrysmith (E.O. Smith), Briana Morden (Suffield)
All-State: none
Note: Co-op team comprised of players from Suffield (host), Canton, Ellington, Enfield, Granby, Windsor and Northwestern Regional. This was Canton’s third year with the co-op program.

Boys indoor track
Coach: Tim O’Donnell
Record: No dual meet record
Note: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, there was no season with the NCCC championship meet and all CIAC state meets cancelled. 

Girls indoor track
Coach: Tim O’Donnell
Record: No dual meet record
Note: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, there was no season with the NCCC championship meet and all CIAC state meets cancelled.

Wrestling
Coach: Josh Bristol
Record: 0-0
Note: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, there was no season.